Timeline of historical events of

Houston, Texas Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

, United States:

1800-1899

*1836 ** August 26: Elizabeth and T. F. L. Parrott sell the southern half of the eastern half of the John Austin Survey to the Allen brothers. ** August 30: Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen place their first advertisement for the proposed "Town of Houston". ** December 15: Congress selects Houston as the provisional capitol; President Houston signs the bill. ** The Allen Brothers, John Kirby and Augustus Chapman, co-found

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

. ** First cemetery is established as "City Cemetery". It stills stands today as

Founders Memorial Cemetery Founders Memorial Cemetery, also known as Founders Memorial Park, is the oldest cemetery in Houston, Texas, United States. Founded in 1836, it was originally known as "City Cemetery", and opened in conjunction with the founding of the City of Ho ...

. *1837 ** January 1: Twelve people live in town, and there is a single log cabin. ** Mid January: '' Laura'' arrives, the first steamboat in Houston, sometime around January 21. ** April 16: Thomas William Ward begins construction on the capitol building. ** April 26:

Sam Houston Samuel Houston (, ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played a prominent role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two indi ...

arrives at his namesake town. He estimates 1500 people and 100 houses were there when he arrived. ** Late April:

John James Audubon John James Audubon (born Jean-Jacques Rabin, April 26, 1785 – January 27, 1851) was a French-American Autodidacticism, self-trained artist, natural history, naturalist, and ornithology, ornithologist. His combined interests in art and ornitho ...

and his son John visit Houston. ** May 1: Legislature meets in Houston. ** June 5: The city gets a city charter from the Congress of the

Republic of Texas The Republic of Texas (), or simply Texas, was a country in North America that existed for close to 10 years, from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846. Texas shared borders with Centralist Republic of Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande, an ...

and James Holman becomes the first mayor of Houston. ** August 28: James Holman sworn in as mayor of Houston. *1839 ** The capital of the Republic moves to

Austin Austin refers to: Common meanings * Austin, Texas, United States, a city * Austin (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Austin (surname), a list of people and fictional characters * Austin Motor Company, a British car manufac ...

, causing a dispute over state records. ** The City of Houston adopts a sidewalk ordinance.McComb (1981), p. 25. *1848 - Houston

Lyceum The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies among countries; usually it is a type of secondary school. Basic science and some introduction to ...

incorporated. *January 1, 1853 - Paul Bremond breaks ground on the Houston and Texas Central Railway.McComb (1981), p. 27. *1856 ** April 7: Construction begins on the seven-mile Houston Tap Road. ** August: Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado Railway completed from Harrisburg, Texas to the

Brazos River The Brazos River ( , ), called the ''Río de los Brazos de Dios'' (translated as "The River of the Arms of God") by early Spanish explorers, is the 14th-longest river in the United States at from its headwater source at the head of Blackwater ...

. ** October: The Houston Tap Road is finished to Pierce Junction. *July, 1858 - Main Street is paved with shells. *September, 1863 - Houston saloon keeper Dick Dowling leads 44 Houston dockworkers to a stunning victory over 5,000 troops at the battle of Sabine Pass. Dowling becomes the city's first nationally known person. *June 19, 1865 -

Juneteenth Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States, federal holiday in the United States. It is celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the End of slavery in the United States, ending of slavery in the United States. The holiday's n ...

is an American holiday that commemorates the June 19, 1865 announcement of the

abolition Abolition refers to the act of putting an end to something by law, and may refer to: *Abolitionism, abolition of slavery *Capital punishment#Abolition of capital punishment, Abolition of the death penalty, also called capital punishment *Abolitio ...

slavery Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

. *1892 - First annual road race of the Magnolia Cycling Club was held on shelled roads in the Houston Heights. *Mid February, 1895 - Houston is slammed by its heaviest snowfall on record in mid-February. Over 20 inches buries the city and does not melt for days.

1900–1949

*1900s - Oil is discovered in Texas, from which a new industry will start. *1900 **

Population Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...

: 44,633. ** September:

Major hurricane Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

strikes nearby

Galveston Galveston ( ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal resort town, resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island (Texas), Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a pop ...

, leading to development shifting north to Houston. *1902 - President

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), also known as Teddy or T.R., was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt previously was involved in New York (state), New York politics, incl ...

approves a one-million dollar fund for the construction of the

Houston Ship Channel The Houston Ship Channel, in Houston, Texas, is part of the Port of Houston, one of the busiest seaports in the world. The channel (geography), channel is the conduit for ocean-going vessels between Houston-area terminals and the Gulf of Mexico, ...

. *1904 - Houston Lyceum and Carnegie Library opens, later known as

Houston Public Library Houston Public Library is the public library system serving Houston, Texas, United States. History Houston Lyceum and the Carnegie Library The Houston Public Library system traces its founding to the creation of the second Houston Lyceum in ...

. *1910 –

: 78,800. *1912 ** J.J. Pastoriza introduces his Houston Single Tax Plan. ** September: The Rice Institute opens, later known as

Rice University William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University, is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. Established in 1912, the university spans 300 acres. Rice University comp ...

. *1914 ** April 1: The first jaywalking ordinance goes into effect. ** November 10: President

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...

opens the

, part of the

Port of Houston The Port of Houston is one of the world's largest ports and serves the metropolitan area of Houston, Houston, Texas. The port is a complex of diversified public and private facilities located a few hours' sailing time from the Gulf of Mexico. Loc ...

. *1920s - The Texas oil boom causes people to move into the city, causing its first growth spurt. *1920 –

: 138,276. *1925 - KPRC

radio Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...

begins broadcasting. *1927 - Houston Junior College opens its doors as part of

Houston Independent School District The Houston Independent School District (HISD) is the largest Public school (government funded), public school system in Texas, and the eighth-largest in the United States. Houston ISD serves as a community school district for most of the ci ...

. *1930 –

: 292,352. *1934 - Houston Junior College becomes a four-year institution and changes its name to the

University of Houston The University of Houston (; ) is a Public university, public research university in Houston, Texas, United States. It was established in 1927 as Houston Junior College, a coeducational institution and one of multiple junior colleges formed in ...

. *1935 - A massive flood inundates Houston, killing eight people; the Harris County Flood Control District is created in the aftermath. *1937 - Houston Municipal Airport, which would later become William P. Hobby Airport, is opened. *1939 - The

moves to its permanent location, southeast of Downtown. *1940 ** Houston dismantles the last of its

streetcar A tram (also known as a streetcar or trolley in Canada and the United States) is an urban rail transit in which vehicles, whether individual railcars or multiple-unit trains, run on tramway tracks on urban public streets; some include s ...

system. **

: 384,514. *September 18, 1942 -

Robertson Stadium John O'Quinn Field at Corbin J. Robertson Stadium (often referred to as simply Robertson Stadium) was a multi-purpose stadium in Houston, located on the campus of the University of Houston. It was the home of the Houston Cougars football and wom ...

opens as Houston Public School Stadium. *1945 - The

separates from HISD and becomes a private university. *1947 ** Houston voters defeat the first-ever referendum for citywide

zoning In urban planning, zoning is a method in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into land-use "zones", each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zones may be defined for ...

. ** The predecessor to

Texas Southern University Texas Southern University (Texas Southern or TSU) is a Public university, public Historically black colleges and universities, historically Black university in Houston. The university is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund an ...

, Texas State College for Negroes, a

historically black college Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of serving African Americans. Most are in the Southern U ...

(HBCU) is the first

state university A public university, state university, or public college is a university or college that is State ownership, owned by the state or receives significant funding from a government. Whether a national university is considered public varies from o ...

in the Houston area. Its name was changed in 1951. *1948 - The Gulf Freeway, Texas' first freeway, opens as U.S. Highway 75, signalling the beginning of freeway construction in the city.

1950–1999

*1950 -

KPRC-TV KPRC-TV (channel 2) is a television station in Houston, Texas, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Graham Media Group. Its studios are located on Southwest Freeway (I-69/ US 59) in the Southwest Management District (formerly Greate ...

(

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

) begins broadcasting. *1958 - Zapata Petroleum in business. *November 1, 1961 - NASA selects Houston for the location for its

Manned Spacecraft Center The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) is NASA's center for human spaceflight in Houston, Texas (originally named the Manned Spacecraft Center), where human spaceflight training, research, and flight control are conducted. It was renamed in ...

. *September 14, 1961 - Sharpstown Mall opens and is the first indoor air-conditioned mall in the world. *1962 - Houston voters defeat a referendum for

for a second time. *1963 ** The

ends its status as a private institution and becomes a

. It enters the Texas State System of Higher Education, after a long battle with opponents from other state universities blocking the change. ** The Manned Spacecraft Center, which would become the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, opens on land donated by

. ** The Humble Building is completed, then the tallest building west of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

. *April 9, 1965 - The Astrodome opens. At the same time, the Houston Colt .45s are rechristened as the Houston Astros. *1969 - Houston Intercontinental Airport, now named

George Bush Intercontinental Airport George Bush Intercontinental Airport is an international airport in Houston, Texas, United States, serving the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Initially named Houston Intercontinental Airport upon its opening in 1969, it was renamed in ho ...

, is opened to the public. *July 20, 1969 - "Houston" becomes the first word spoken from the Moon, by astronaut

Neil Armstrong Neil Alden Armstrong (August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012) was an American astronaut and aerospace engineering, aeronautical engineer who, in 1969, became the Apollo 11#Lunar surface operations, first person to walk on the Moon. He was al ...

of the

Apollo 11 Apollo 11 was a spaceflight conducted from July 16 to 24, 1969, by the United States and launched by NASA. It marked the first time that humans Moon landing, landed on the Moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module pilot Buzz Aldrin l ...

mission. *1970s - The

Arab Oil Embargo In October 1973, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) announced that it was implementing a total oil embargo against countries that had supported Israel at any point during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, which began after E ...

causes demand for Texas oil to boom. People from the "

Rust Belt The Rust Belt, formerly the Steel Belt or Factory Belt, is an area of the United States that underwent substantial Deindustrialization, industrial decline in the late 20th century. The region is centered in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic (Uni ...

" states such as

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

and

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

migrate to Houston for jobs. *1972 - Leonel Castillo is elected City Comptroller. First minority to hold a position in city government. *1976 ** Houston Metropolitan Research Center is established. ** May 11: A tanker truck of ammonia crashes at Interstate 610 and U.S. Highway 59 in the Galleria area, resulting in the deaths of 7 people. *1977 ** Houston Area Women's Center founded. ** National Women's Conference held in city. ** The

celebrates its 50th anniversary as the Texas Legislature establishes the University of Houston System—a state system of higher education that includes and governs four universities. *1978 - The headquarters of

Continental Airlines Continental Airlines (simply known as Continental) was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1934 until it merged with United Airlines in 2012. It had ownership interests and brand partnerships with several carriers. Continen ...

moves to Houston after buying out Texas International. *1978-1980 - Traffic signals at major intersections were improved. Houston is the first in the nation to modernize their signage, which is still done to this present day. *1979 - a portion of the master-planned community of "Clear Lake City" that is in Houston's

extraterritorial jurisdiction Extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) is the legal ability of a government to exercise authority beyond its normal boundaries. Any authority can claim ETJ over any external territory they wish. However, for the claim to be effective in the external ...

(ETJ) and an area east of Missouri City in Fort Bend County are annexed into the corporate limits of Houston. *1980s - The end of the Embargo causes the Houston growth bubble to burst. *1981 - Kathryn J. Whitmire is elected as the first woman mayor. She would appoint Lee P. Brown as the first African-American police chief. *1982 - Texas Commerce Bank Tower is completed in Downtown Houston, making it the tallest building west of the Mississippi until the late 1980s. It is the tallest five-sided building in the world. *August 1983 - The

changes its name to "University of Houston–University Park" to separate its identity and rectify confusions with other universities in the University of Houston System. *April 5, 1986 - City takes part in celebration of Texas' Sesquicentennial, 25th Anniversary of

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

, and the Houston International Festival with Rendez-vous Houston concert. At the time it is the largest outdoor concert in history and is entered into the Guinness Book of World Records. *June 1, 1987 - The former Shamrock Hilton hotel is demolished as part of the Texas Medical Center expansion efforts despite protests from historical preservationists. *1989 ** Outer Belt Drive (a major thoroughfare that serves

Hermann Park Hermann Park is a urban park in Houston, Texas, situated at the southern end of the Houston Museum District, Museum District. The park is located to the immediate north end of the MD Anderson Cancer Center at Texas Medical Center and Brays Ba ...

and Ben Taub Hospital in the

Texas Medical Center The Texas Medical Center (TMC) is a List of neighborhoods in Houston, neighborhood in south-central Houston, Texas, United States. It is immediately south of the Houston Museum District, Museum District and west of Texas State Highway 288. Over 6 ...

) is renamed North MacGregor Way; a section of North MacGregor between Outer Belt and Holcombe Boulevard is renamed North Braeswood. In 2014, the section of Outer Belt Drive was renamed Cambridge Boulevard right after a viaduct was completed over Brays Bayou connecting the southern section of Cambridge Blvd to the Texas Medical Center. ** ''

Houston Press The ''Houston Press'' is an online newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in the Midtown Houston, Midtown area. It was also a weekly print newspaper until November 2017. The publication is supported entirely ...

'' newspaper begins publication. *1990 -

: 1,630,553. *July 9–11, 1990 - Houston hosts the 16th G7 Summit. *1991 **August: The University of Houston–University Park reverts to its original name "University of Houston" after controversy and resistance within the university community regarding the name change. **November: Elected positions within the City of Houston (the mayor, city council, and controller) were given term limits, which passed by a referendum vote. The term-limit referendum amended the current city charter. *1993 **April: The Westheimer Colony Art Festival is held on a stretch of Calhoun Road (now St. Joseph Parkway) in Downtown Houston; it was the first time the art festival was not held in Montrose. After 1996, the festival was renamed the Bayou City Art Festival. **November: Houston voters defeated a

referendum for the third time in almost 50 years. *October 1994 - Great Flood of 1994, highest waters recorded for the San Jacinto Watershed (higher levels than the later Allison storm), a 100-year flood from the remnants of Hurricane Rosa. *1994 - Houston Rockets win the

NBA Championship The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern and Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven series to determine the league ...

, and won 58 games, setting a franchise record. *1995 ** Houston Rockets win the NBA Championship again, back-to-back. ** City website online (approximate date). *1996 - The master-planned community of Kingwood is annexed by the city of Houston. *November 1997 - Former Houston Police Chief Lee P. Brown is elected as Houston's first African-American mayor; at the same time, Annise Parker is the first openly gay or lesbian city council member.

2000-present

2000s

*May 6-May 7, 2000 - After 27 years of holding the Westheimer Street Festival in Montrose, the festival was held in Eleanor Tinsley Park west of Downtown Houston. Promoters of the festival were denied a street closure permit back in January 2000 under a revised festival ordinance in which public hearings are held. Attendance figures declined. *June 5-June 9, 2001 - Tropical Storm Allison devastates the Houston area. It floods much of the city, including the Central Business District, several cultural institutions, and major hospitals and research facilities in the Texas Medical Center. The storm is called a 500-year event. *November 2001 -

Enron Enron Corporation was an American Energy development, energy, Commodity, commodities, and services company based in Houston, Texas. It was led by Kenneth Lay and developed in 1985 via a merger between Houston Natural Gas and InterNorth, both re ...

is found to have accounting scandals. The company goes bankrupt. *2002 **

celebrates its 75th anniversary with an enrollment of 34,443 that fall semester. At the same time, the University of Houston System celebrates its 25th anniversary with an enrollment of over 54,000. ** Baitus Samee Mosque (Houston) built. **November 5 - Houston City Controller Sylvia R. Garcia (in her third term) successfully campaigns for Harris County Commissioner Precinct 2. She becomes the first Hispanic female to hold office in the Harris County Commissioners Court. After Garcia's victory, the Houston City Council appoints Judy Gray Johnson to fill her unexpired term until the November 2003 elections. *May 2003 - For the first time, the Houston Art Car Parade is not held on the same weekend as the Houston International Festival. *June 28-June 29, 2003 - The Westheimer Street Festival staged their homecoming on Westheimer during Gay Pride Weekend after promoters decided to move the festival back to Montrose because of declining attendance at another location. *Fall 2003 -

Halliburton Halliburton Company is an American multinational corporation and the world's second-largest oil service company which is responsible for most of the world's fracking operations. It employs approximately 55,000 people through its hundreds of su ...

's headquarters move from

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

to Houston. *December 6, 2003 - Annise Parker defeats fellow council member Bruce Tatro to become Houston's first openly lesbian city controller. Both Parker and Tatro are term-limited in their current seats. At the same time,

Pakistani-American Pakistani Americans () are citizens of the United States who have full or partial ancestry from Pakistan, or more simply, Pakistanis in America. They can be from different ethnic groups in Pakistan like Punjabis, Punjabi or Muhajir people, Muhaj ...

realtor Masur Javed "M.J." Khan is elected as a district councilmember in District F. This encompasses most of West and parts of Southwest Houston in the Sharpstown area, where incumbent Mark Ellis won his final term as an at-large member of the Houston City Council. *January 1, 2004 -

METRORail METRORail is the light rail system in Houston, Texas (United States). In , the system had a ridership of , or about per weekday as of . METRORail ranks as the second most-traveled light rail system in the Southern United States and the List ...

is opened to the public at 1 p.m. CST - this marks the reintroduction of rail service, the city's first since June 1940. *July 30, 2004 - The Houston City Council unanimously votes for a change in the curbside parking ordinance where Saturday metered parking is enforced. The original proposal for paid curbside parking between 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. was not popular with Downtown-area restaurant owners. (Before the 1980s, metered parking was enforced 24 hours a day - seven days a week, including holidays.) The ordinance took effect on October 22, 2004. *2004 ** Houston hosts the

Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual History of the NFL championship, league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966 NFL season, 1966 (with the excep ...

as well as the MLB

All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game that showcases the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or division, bu ...

. **

Citgo Citgo Petroleum Corporation, or Citgo (stylized as CITGO), is a United States–based refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. Headquartered in the Energy Corridor area ...

's headquarters move from

Tulsa Tulsa ( ) is the second-most-populous city in the state of Oklahoma, after Oklahoma City, and the 48th-most-populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tul ...

to Houston. *January 2, 2004 - Bill White is sworn in as mayor. *December 24, 2004 - Freak snowstorm hits, causing record Christmas snowfall in the region. *2005 - The Parking Management division of the City of Houston Municipal Courts Administration is incorporated into the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau. *Spring 2005 - Friday Nights Brights filmed on Houston City. *September 1, 2005 - Houston welcomes more than 125,000 displaced residents of

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

, and

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

in the wake of

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...

. The Reliant Astrodome was converted to provide food and shelter. The

Governor of Texas The governor of Texas is the head of state of the U.S. state of Texas. The governor is the head of the executive branch of the government of Texas and is the commander-in-chief of the Texas Military Forces. Established in the Constit ...

reaffirmed his state's commitment to provide basic needs and education for victims of Katrina. *December 10, 2005 - Sue Lovell is elected as an at-large member of the Houston City Council, replacing term-limited councilmember Gordon Quan. This marks the second time an open lesbian is elected to the Houston City Council. Houston is the only major city to have two elected officials who are openly lesbian. *June 19, 2006 - Major flooding in Southeast

causes homes and roads to fill up with water. This was the most rain since Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 *September 1, 2006 - Red light cameras ten major intersections within the Houston City Limits (three of the first ten intersections are located in the Downtown/Midtown area). The red-light camera measure passed by a majority vote on the Houston City Council in December 2004. Motorists who run a red light face $75 civil fines ($150 for subsequent violations) instead of a $220 moving violation when cited by a police officer.Clear Lake spot sees most violators
. ''Houston Chronicle. September 8, 2006. Last accessed September 13, 2006.'' *Spring 2009 - Friday Nights Brights 2 filmed on Houston City. *December 12, 2009 - Annise Parker wins the runoff election to become Houston's 61st mayor, and the first woman since Kathy Whitmire to hold the office in 1991. With this election, Houston became the largest American city with an openly gay mayor. At-large councilmember Ronald C. Green is also elected as Houston's first African American city controller alongside Aloysius Hoang, the first Vietnamese American elected to the Houston City Council.

2010s

*2010 ** Annise Parker is sworn in as mayor, one of the first openly LGBT mayors of a major U.S. city. ** The 2010 United States census is released, listing Houston's population as 2,100,263; the population of the Texas Triangle is 19,728,244. *2015 -

Ted Cruz 2016 presidential campaign The 2016 presidential campaign of Ted Cruz, the junior United States senator from Texas, was announced on March 23, 2015. He was a candidate for the Republican Party's 2016 presidential nomination and won the second-most state contests and delega ...

headquartered in Houston. *2016 - Sylvester Turner is sworn in as mayor. *2017 - The

Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...

win the

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...

2020s

*2020 - In the 2020 United States census, the population of Houston is listed at 2,301,572, a 9.6% increase from 2010. *2024 -

John Whitmire John Harris Whitmire (born August 13, 1949) is an American attorney and politician who has served as the List of mayors of Houston, 63rd mayor of Houston, Texas, since 2024. Whitmire was previously a Democratic Party (United States), Democratic ...

is sworn in as mayor. *2028 - Houston is scheduled to host the 2028 Republican National Convention.

Disasters

*September, 1900 - The Great Galveston Storm kills 6,000-8,000 citizens, causing widespread flooding throughout Harris County. *1907 - Major storm floods much of

. *December, 1913 - A major Brazos River storm spread to Harris County, causing entire area to flood. *August, 1915 - The 1915 Galveston hurricane causes major damages throughout Harris County, which experienced heavy flooding. *April, 1929 - An enormous gulf storm lasts 14 hours over Harris County, floods nearly all of

. *May, 1929 - As the area is still recovering, another major storm hits Harris County, causing major flooding. San Jacinto River reported to be 30 feet higher than usual. *May, 1930 - A large rainstorm remains stationary over Harris County for 3 days. Rainfall amounts reach as high as 12.5 inches. *August, 1932 - 1932 Freeport hurricane takes 40 lives and floods Harris County *December 6–9, 1935 - A massive flood inundates Houston, killing eight people; this leads to the creation of the Harris County Flood Control District in 1937. *November, 1940 - Heavy rains last 5 days in northeast Harris County. *July, 1943 - 1943 Surprise Hurricane creates extensive flooding in Harris County *August, 1945 - 1945 Texas hurricane produces more than 15 inches of rainfall in 24 hours. Flooding reported on all bayous. *February, 1950 - A thunderstorm preceding a cold front floods Greens Bayou. *May, 1955 - Major thunderstorm floods northern Harris County *June, 1957 -

Hurricane Audrey Hurricane Audrey was one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history, killing at least 416 people as it devastated the southwestern Louisiana coast in 1957. Along with Hurricane Alex (2010), Hurricane Alex in 2010 Atlantic hurricane season ...

crosses the Louisiana/Texas coast, flooding Harris County *October, 1959 - A thunderstorm floods more than 100 structures throughout Harris County *June, 1960 - A thunderstorm inundates many areas throughout Harris County. *September 11, 1961 -

Hurricane Carla Hurricane Carla was the most intense tropical cyclone landfall in Texas in the 20th century. The third named storm of the 1961 Atlantic hurricane season, Carla developed from an area of squall, squally weather in the southwestern Caribbean Sea ...

struck the Texas Coast to the east of

Port Lavaca, Texas Port Lavaca ( ) is a city in Calhoun County, Texas, Calhoun County, located in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 12,248 at the 2010 census and 11,557 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of Calhoun County ...

, bringing heavy rainfall and wind damage to the Houston area. *February, 1969 - A thunderstorm preceding a cold front floods more than 250 structures. *March, 1972 - A thunderstorm preceding a cold front floods most of northern Harris County *June, 1973 - A major storm brings 10-15 inches of rain to Harris County, 10 lives are lost. *July, 1979 - Tropical Storm Claudette causes record amounts of rainfall to the area, reaching 43 inches of rain in 24 hours in Alvin *May, 1983 - A large thunderstorm floods several areas along bayous. *August 18, 1983 -

Hurricane Alicia Hurricane Alicia was a small but powerful tropical cyclone that caused significant destruction in the Greater Houston area of Southeast Texas in August 1983. Although Alicia was a relatively small hurricane, its track over the rapidly grow ...

hits Houston and Galveston. *September, 1983 - Nine inches of rain flood the southern

Downtown Houston Downtown is the largest central business district in the city of Houston and the largest in the state of Texas, located near the geographic center of the metropolitan area at the confluence of Interstate 10 in Texas, Interstate 10, Interstate 45 ...

*October, 1984 - A thunderstorm in north Harris County floods over 200 structures. *August 1–October 18, 1989 - Hurricane Chantal and Hurricane Jerry make landfall within a short time-span *March, 1992 - A major storm floods more than 1,500 structures. Most of

I-10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost transcontinental highway in the Interstate Highway System of the United States. It is the fourth-longest Interstate in the country at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. It was part of the originall ...

is flooded. *October 15–19, 1994 - The Great Flood of '94, Hurricane Rosa (1994) leaves a stalled tropical depression over north Houston for a week. With over 30 inches of rain recorded in some places of Harris County, 20 inches in a number of hours, and maximum recorded stream flow volume at all recorded stations in the history of the San Jacinto River. The result was the highest flood levels of the San Jacinto basin to the present day, devastating the north side of Houston and killing 22 people in Texas. Petroleum lines bursting and setting aflame injured another 540 people. *September, 1998 - Tropical Storm Frances causes extensive flooding along the White Oak Bayou, floods over 1,300 structures. *October–November, 1998 - Two major storms flood northern Harris County *June 5–9, 2001 - Tropical Storm Allison devastates the Houston area flooding much of the city including the Central Business District, several cultural institutions and major hospitals and research facilities in the Texas Medical Center. The storm is called a 500-year event. *June 19, 2006 - Major flooding in Southeast Houston causes homes and roads to fill up with water. This was the most rain since Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 *September 13, 2008 -

Hurricane Ike Hurricane Ike () was a powerful tropical cyclone that swept through portions of the Greater Antilles and Northern America in September 2008, wreaking havoc on infrastructure and agriculture, particularly in Cuba and Texas. Ike took a sim ...

passes through city causing flooding, wind damage and widespread power failures. *April 17–28, 2009 - Major flooding in West Houston, HCFCD Records one-hour rainfall of 6.9 inches at Clear Creek *July 9, 2012 - Flooding in northern Harris County, flooding more than 70 structures. *August, 2014 - Slow-moving rain causes flooding from 3.5 to 4.5 inches in Harris County *May 13–14, 2015 - Clear Lake Area May 13, pre-Memorial Day Flood Devastating storms floods the south sector of the city. Within a nine-hour span from the night of May 13, 2015, to the morning of May 14, numerous homes in the region flooded and one man died. *May 25–26, 2015 - Houston Memorial Day Flood Devastating storms floods most of the city. Within a nine-hour span from the night of May 25, 2015, to the morning of May 26, as much as 11 inches of rain fell on parts of the region. A local man died when his car was flooded. Numerous home flooded due to improper drainage system. https://abc13.com/flood-flooding-clear-lake-hospital-webster/720147/ *April 17–18, 2016 - The Houston Tax Day Flood took place in nine counties near the city, unleashing 12 to 16 inches of rain. *August 2017 -

Hurricane Harvey Hurricane Harvey was a devastating tropical cyclone that made landfall in Texas and Louisiana in August 2017, causing catastrophic flooding and more than 100 deaths. It is tied with 2005's Hurricane Katrina as the costliest tropical cy ...

devastates the city, flooding homes and roads with over 50 inches of rain over 4 days, equivalent to 19 trillion gallons of water. *July 4, 2018 - Heavy rain caused surface flooding on 4 July 2018, dampening Fourth of July celebrations in the city. At least 18 locations in Harris County recorded more than 7 inches of rain in 24 hours. *September 19, 2019 - Remnants of Tropical Storm Imelda dumped over 9 inches of rain on parts of Houston, the wettest September day ever recorded in Houston. *February 14, 2021 - The

February 13–17, 2021 North American winter storm The February 13–17, 2021 North American winter storm was a crippling winter storm, winter and ice storm that had widespread impacts across the United States, Northern Mexico, and parts of Canada from February 13 to 17, 2021. The storm, unoff ...

resulted in widespread power outages and water supply interruptions for several days. *November 5, 2021 - The

Astroworld Festival crowd crush On November 5, 2021, a fatal Crowd collapses and crushes, crowd crush occurred during the Astroworld Festival, an annual musical event hosted by American rapper Travis Scott at NRG Park in Houston, Texas. Eight people were pronounced dead on th ...

kills at least eight people.

Murders

*August 23, 1917 - Houston riot of 1917 occurs *September 25, 1970 - August 8, 1973 - " Houston Mass Murders" occur. 27 boys are killed by 3 men. *July 1978 - Race

riots A riot or mob violence is a form of civil disorder commonly characterized by a group lashing out in a violent public disturbance against authority, property, or people. Riots typically involve destruction of property, public or private. The p ...

occur in the Moody Park section of the city (in response to the drowning of Jose Campos Torres by two Houston Police officers, and are documented by

, whose reporters are attacked and injured during their report. *June 24, 1993 - Jennifer Ertman and Elizabeth Pena, two teenagers were murdered at T.C. Jester Park during a gang initiation. Their murders changed laws in Texas, as family members of the victims were now allowed to make a victim's impact statement in court. In addition, the family members of the victims could view executions of the killers. *April 16, 1997 - Doris Angleton is murdered in her River Oaks home. Her husband,

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...

, and his brother,

Roger Roger is a masculine given name, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic languages">Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") ...

, would be suspected for the crime. *June 4, 1999 - Noemi Dominguez is shot dead in her home by Angel Maturino Resendiz, a serial killer. Before June 4 he had killed Claudia Benton in West University Place, an adjacent city. *June 20, 2001 -

Andrea Yates Andrea Pia Yates ( Kennedy; born July 2, 1964) is an American woman from Houston, Texas, who confessed to drowning her five children in their bathtub on June 20, 2001. The case of Yateswho had exhibited severe postpartum depression, postpartum p ...

drowns her five children in a bathtub. She was found to be suffering from

postpartum depression Postpartum depression (PPD), also called perinatal depression, is a mood disorder which may be experienced by pregnant or postpartum women. Symptoms include extreme sadness, low energy, anxiety, crying episodes, irritability, and extreme cha ...

References

External links

174 Years of Historic Houston
* Digital Public Library of America
Items related to Houston
various dates * * {{Houston *

Houston-related lists